View of Eagle Butte Coal Mine in Gillette, Wyoming, August 20, 2008

Courtesy of Library of Congress, Highsmith, Carol M., "View into the Eagle Butte coal mine in Gillette, in Wyoming's Powder River Basin," 20 August 2008

Description

The photograph shows an open-pit "truck and shovel" mine in Gillette, Wyoming. Called the Eagle Butte coal mine, it produces low-sulfur, sub-bituminous coal from the vast Roland and Smith seams. This coal is used for domestic energy generation.

Source-Dependent Questions

Describe the photo above. What is happening in the image? Why is this happening?
How is this land being changed? Why is this land being changed?
Compare this image to the "British Reported Set To Build World's First Nuclear Power Station" article. Both of these sources mention coal. Using evidence from this photo, why would the British want to move away from using coal to power the country?

Citation Information

Highsmith, Carol M., "View into the Eagle Butte coal mine in Gillette, in Wyoming's Powder River Basin," 20 August 2008. Courtesy of Library of Congress